Jose Antonio Reyes' son has trained with Real Madrid's first-team for the first time.(Image: Marca TV)

Ex-Arsenal star's son trains with Jude Bellingham for the first time as Real Madrid path opens

31 Oct 2024, 16:07 by Matthew Abbott · football.london

The son of ex-Arsenal star Jose Antonio Reyes has trained with the Real Madrid senior squad for the first time.

Jose Antonio Reyes Lopez only turned 17 in the middle of this month - but has already stepped up to work with Carlo Ancelotti's star-studded team. The first-team was without the Under-19s, who usually make up numbers, as they had a game against local rivals Rayo Vallecano the next day [on Wednesday].

That opportunity came about a week after he signed a new contract with Spanish giants. Reyes Lopez joined the club from Leganes, aged 11, in the summer of 2019; signing for the club his father represented a month after Reyes and his cousin Jonathan tragically died in a car crash.

Reyes spent the final year of his Arsenal career on loan at Madrid, when his son was born. He then stayed in Spain with their cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid - besides a temporary spell with Benfica - before re-joining his boyhood club Sevilla where he remained for four years before leaving in 2016.

Around that time, Reyes Lopez started playing for Legamar before joining the Leganes academy and eventually ending up at Madrid. Their president, Florentino Perez, reputedly said after that transfer that he would look after Reyes' son until his 18th birthday on October 15 next year.

The forward has starred for youth teams over the last four years - representing Spain at Under-15, Under-16 and Under-17 level. Reyes Lopez regularly celebrates his goals by looking to the sky - and visited his father's statue in Reyes' hometown, Utrera, on the anniversary of his death this summer.

Sharing photos on Instagram of the flowers he laid with his mother, the teenager captioned the post: "Always in my heart, we love you and not forgotten dad!" That was his latest update before sharing the news of his contract extension, reacting to which he said: "[I'm] very proud to belong to this great family, and I'm very happy to be able to continue fulfilling my dreams! Thank you Real Madrid for trusting in me!"

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